Offset printing method and device

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an offset printing method in which the picture to be printed id formed on a plate-holder-cylinder ( 3 ), the said picture is transferred onto a blanket ( 4 ) carried by a blanket-holder-cylinder ( 5 ), then transferred onto a paper compressed between the blanket ( 4 ) and a back pressure cylinder ( 7 ). The temperature T 3  of the blanket-holder-cylinder ( 5 ) is regulated. The invention also relates to an offset printing device comprising an inking unit ( 1 ), a plate-holder-cylinder ( 3 ), a blanket-holder-cylinder ( 5 ), a backpressure cylinder ( 7 ). It comprises means ( 8 ) for regulating the temperature T 3  of the blanket-holder-cylinder ( 5 ).

[0001] The invention relates to an improvement for offset printing methods and devices.

[0002] Offset printing techniques are well known now and they enable to obtain good quality printing whose accuracy is highly appreciated.

[0003] The devices implemented in offset printing usually comprise an inking unit that applies ink on a cylinder carrying the plate bearing the pattern to be reproduced. This roll is called a plate-holder-cylinder.

[0004] This plate-holder-cylinder is in contact with a cylinder that carries a blanket (blanket-holder-cylinder) which is itself in contact with the paper that is inserted between this blanket-holder-cylinder, more precisely the blanket itself, and a backpressure cylinder.

[0005] Numerous attempts have been made until now to improve the quality and more particularly the printing accuracy obtained with such devices.

[0006] Thus, it has been noticed that the temperature conditions under which printing is carried out, are significant, which can be easily understood since the rheological properties of the inks depend on the said conditions to a vast extent.

[0007] Thus, it has already been suggested to regulate the temperature of the inking unit and of the plate-holder-cylinder as well

[0008] There exist temperature regulation systems of different types to stabilise the ink temperature. Most systems consist in cooling down the inking unit by blowing air or by circulating a coolant liquid inside the inking plates As regards the plate cylinder, we seek to cool down or regulate its temperature by circulating a coolant liquid.

[0009] These different devices generally enable to print while avoiding warping phenomena. But because of the necessary decrease in temperature, these devices induce poor quality of the distribution of ink on the inking plates and a significant risk of tearing the superficial layer of the paper away. As regards the printing quality, the rendering obtained is not optimal since the solid colour zones are not thinly homogeneous and exhibit fleecy aspects. Moreover, because of temporary stoppages of the printing press, of the modification of its production speed and of the variations in environment, tone alterations in the raster portions of the picture may appear during printing by reason of temperature and viscosity changes of the ink during transfer on paper.

[0010] The purpose of this invention consists therefore in improving the stability and the quality of the print obtained still further.

[0011] Surprisingly, it has been noticed that regulating the temperature of the blanket plate, which until now had been considered as impossible or pointless, enabled to reach the required result.

[0012] To this effect, the invention relates to an offset printing method in which;

[0013] the picture to be printed is placed on a plate-holder-cylinder,

[0014] the said picture is transferred onto a blanket carried by a blanket-holder-cylinder, then

[0015] transferred onto a paper compressed between the blanket and a backpressure cylinder.

[0016] According to the invention, the temperature T3 of the blanket-holder-cylinder is regulated.

[0017] This invention also relates to the features that will be put in evidence during the following description and that should be considered individually or in all their technically possible combinations:

[0018] the respective temperatures T1 of the inking unit and T2 of the blanket-holder-cylinder are regulated,

[0019] the temperature value T2 is smaller than T1 as well as T3.

[0020] Advantageously:

[0021] the temperature T1 ranges between 25 and 35° C.,

[0022] the temperature T2 ranges between 16 and 25° C.,

[0023] the temperature T3 ranges between 28 and 35° C.

[0024] Preferably:

[0025] the temperature T1 is in the order of 28° C.,

[0026] the temperature T2 is in the order of 22° C.,

[0027] the temperature T3 is in the order of 30° C.

[0028] the method is a waterless offset printing method.

[0029] The invention also relates to an offset printing device;

[0030] an inking unit,

[0031] a plate-holder-cylinder,

[0032] a blanket-holder-cylinder,

[0033] a backpressure cylinder.

[0034] According to the invention, the device comprises means for regulating the temperature T3 of the blanket-holder-cylinder and means for regulating the respective temperatures T1 of the inking unit and T2 of the plate-holder-cylinder

[0035] The means for regulating the temperatures each comprise an electrical heater and circulation of the coolant liquid placed at least partially inside the corresponding cylinder.

[0036] A particular embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the single FIGURE.

[0037] The single FIGURE represents an offset printing device. An inking unit 1 is placed in contact with the plate 2 supported by the plate-holder-cylinder 3.

[0038] This plate 2 is placed in contact with the blanket 4 carried by the blanket-holder-cylinder 5. The paper 6 is pressed by the backpressure cylinder 7 onto the blanket 4.

[0039] This type of device can be used as well for the implementation of the offset conventional method or for the implementation of the particular waterless method known under the terminology ‘waterless offset’.

[0040] For both methods, according to the invention, the machines are fitted with a temperature regulation unit of the blanket-holder-cylinder 5.

[0041] So far, such an arrangement had not been foreseen, whereas such a regulation had been considered as difficult to be Implemented, probably by reason of the properties of the blanket 4, its fragility and particularly of its insulating properties

[0042] This regulation has improved the printing quality. The solid colour zones as well as the raster points of the print obtained have a homogeneous aspect over the whole printing width. It is possible to print solid colours without tearing the layer of the paper away.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, a second regulation unit 9 of the inking unit is provided as well as a third regulation unit 10 of the plate-holder-cylinder 3.

[0044] By using appropriate temperature for the inking unit 1 and the plate holder cylinder 3, it is possible to maximise the printing quality with respect to the nature of the ink and of paper used. For the same adjustment of the ink flow rate, the tone value of the raster portions of the printed picture can be made constant.

[0045] The invention is particularly useful in the case of its application to a waterless printing method. It is known that the control of this method is even trickier than the control of the conventional offset method.

[0046] The specificity of the waterless offset lies in the type of plate and ink used: the non-printing zones of the plate consist of a layer of silicon that pushes the ink away, formulated especially to that effect The temperature is an influent parameter in the waterless offset. By reason of this increase in temperature caused by the friction loads in the inking unit, the viscosity of the ink is reduced and the ink tends to cover the non-printing zones of the plate (warping phenomenon).

[0047] The printing quality obtained is therefore not as good.

[0048] The results obtained thanks to the invention show that it is possible to regulate the temperature of the inking unit 1 to a relatively low level, which contributes to homogeneous distribution of the ink in the rolls. It is thus that the temperature of the inking unit is regulated between 25 and 35° C. and preferably around 28° C.

[0049] The temperature of the plate 2 is then maintained between 16 and 25° C., allowing for rather high viscosity of the ink and preventing any warping phenomenon as the picture is formed.

[0050] The temperature by the blanket-holder-cylinder 5 and by the blanket 4 itself is maintained between 28 and 35° C., preferably around 30° C. it is therefore greater than the temperature of the plate-holder-cylinder 3 and of the plate 2 itself. This enables to diminish the viscosity of the ink and ensures homogenisation of the inking film on the blanket 4, then onto the paper, facilitating the cutting of the inking film during the second transfer of the picture. 

1. An offset printing method in which: the picture to be printed is formed on a plate-holder-cylinder (3), the said picture is transferred onto a blanket (4) carried by a blanket-holder-cylinder (5) then, transferred onto a paper compressed between the blanket (4) and a back pressure cylinder (7), characterised in that the temperature T3 of the blanket-holder-cylinder (5) is regulated.
 2. An offset printing method according to claim 1, characterised in that the respective temperatures T1 of the inking unit (1) and T2 of the plate-holder-cylinder (3) are regulated.
 3. An offset printing method according to claim 2, characterised in that the temperature value T2 is smaller than T1 as well as T3.
 4. An offset printing method according to claim 3, characterised in that the temperature T1 ranges between 25 and 35° C., the temperature T2 ranges between 16 and 25° C., the temperature T3 ranges between 28 and 35° C.
 5. An offset printing method according to claim 4, characterised in that the temperature T1 is in the order of 28° C., the temperature T2 is in the order of 22° C., the temperature T3 is in the order of 30° C.
 6. An offset printing method according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the method is a waterless offset printing method.
 7. An offset printing device comprising: an inking unit (1), a plate-holder-cylinder (3), a blanket-holder-cylinder (5), a back pressure cylinder (7). characterized in that the device comprises means (8) for regulating the temperature T3 of the blanket-holder-cylinder (5).
 8. An offset printing device according to claim 7, characterised in that it comprises means for regulating the respective temperatures T1 of the inking unit (1) and T2 of the plate-holder-cylinder (3).
 9. An offset printing device according to one of the claims 7 and 8 characterised in that the means for regulating the temperatures each comprise an electrical heater (9 and 10).
 10. An offset printing device according to one of the claims 7 to 9, characterised in that the means for regulating the temperatures comprise means for circulating the coolant liquid placed at least partially inside the corresponding cylinder. 